Third Test (DECIDER!) - ENG v NZ (Sat 14th 1 PM GMT/Sun 15th 12AM AEST / 2AM NZDT)

[Last Week]

NZ didn't lose the number 1 ranking

And nor should they. In 2015, 1 win against the then nation number 1, 1 win against nation number three and 2 losses against nation number three.

Australia only have 1 loss as opposed to that. NZ should actually be further out in front.

 

[roughyedspud]

Thats not how the rankings work...but crack on thinking you know what you are on about...

Had we won 3-0 australia would have slipped to third...

As it stands...nz are still top but england have closed the gap on on 2nd place substantially,prior to the series the rankings stood as such

Nz 949.00
Aus 941.00
Eng 485.00

I imagine england might be as high as 750-800 now

 

[bedlam breakout]

well done England, although the most influencial English man on the field was ben thaler, the penalty that led to the olaughlin try was the gamebreaker and certainly not a penalty, think an nrl ref would have been better, Watkins the next k senior? great at playing wakefield cas and hull kr but no good against world class opposition, looking for good things from some of the youngsters though.

 

[Last Week]

Thats not how the rankings work...but crack on thinking you know what you are on about...

Yeah, because that's what I said. My post was about how the rankings work... f**k you're precious.

 

[Brutus]

That two Australian club sides produced a higher quality match than an international between England and New Zealand.

Union troll.

 

[lafai]

Team for next year:

1. RTS
2. SKD
3. Hiku
4. Whare
5. Vatuvei
6. Foran
7. Johnson
8. Bromwich
9. Luke
10.JWH
11.Proctor
12.Mannering
13.Taumalolo

14.Nikorima
15.Harris
16.Taupau
17.Matulino

18.Moa/Eastwood/Taukeiaho


This tour has developed Hiku into a ballplaying/kicking centre in the Jamie Lyon mould, and Nikorima as a good bench hooker.

Decent team but no Nightingale?

 

[The Clan]

Tomkins (by the 100% fit)
Hall
Reed/Percival
Watkins
McGillvery
Widdop
Smith
Graham
Roby
Hill
S Burgess
Whitehead
O'Loughlin

Houghton
G Burgess
T Burgess
Walmsley

There are a host of other players who could crack that 17 and be more than up to the job!
Ferres, Farrell, Briscoe, Ward, Gale, Hardaker, Williams, McGuire, Burgess, Manfredi, Sevelio, Greenwood, Cooper, Cudjoe, Wardle, Makinson and more . . .

 

[Brutus]

That two Australian club sides produced a higher quality match than an international between England and New Zealand.

Same can be said for most rugby union internationals.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

lol Kangaroos are a joke,they would have lost by 30 to both teams

 

[Rhyno]

This series did more harm than good for the international game

 

[Burns]

This series did more harm than good for the international game

Possibly the worst post in this forums history.

 

[roughyedspud]

This series did more harm than good for the international game

Australians sat on their arses does more harm than anything..

 

[Last Week]

f**k you guys are easy.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

I would have Tohu Harris in the starting lineup every time, I think he is a fantastic player.

I just think he has more versatility coming off the bench than Proctor would.

lafai - It's always a tough call to leave out The Nightingale. I could change my mind next year, but as it stands I want all 4 of those 3/4's in the team.

We could swap SKD & Hiku, but I think Hiku's skill development at 6 means he should play centre as opposed to wing now.

 

[lafai]

I just think he has more versatility coming off the bench than Proctor would.

lafai - It's always a tough call to leave out The Nightingale. I could change my mind next year, but as it stands I want all 4 of those 3/4's in the team.

We could swap SKD & Hiku, but I think Hiku's skill development at 6 means he should play centre as opposed to wing now.

fair enough, my backline would be

RTS
Nightingod
Whare/Hiku
SKD/Hiku
Vatuvei

 

[Harrigan]

Saturday's stats:


Without actually doing anything special this series, RTS made nearly 500m in the last 2 games. The guy is a freak, and that's without even playing well

 

[Fast Eddie]

Saturday's stats:


Without actually doing anything special this series, RTS made nearly 500m in the last 2 games. The guy is a freak, and that's without even playing well

Yeah I don't think he had a particularly good series (by his standards) and he still racked up a huge workload and metres.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

My retrospective Kiwi backline

1. RTS - no explanation needed
2. Nightingale - a finisher. Even though he got mowed down by cover defence with the angle and sideline advantage, some of those cut out passes shouldnt have been. Had it gone through the hands it wouldve been try time.
3. SKD - he needed to get more ball OFF A PIVOT, not safety hit ups. He also can break, more often than both Whare and Kahu.
4. Whare - love this guys defence
5. Hiku - winger.
6. Benji Marshall - is it because of his off the cuff fancy style hazardous play Kearneys afraid of? Well hello NZs attack isnt always structured and I'd be more afraid of debutants/rookies making their international outing in positions they haven't really mastered at a high level.
7. Nikorima - would happily go Lolohea but Nikorima at this stage gets the nod as hes proven tidy

 

[Matua]

Team for next year:

1. RTS
2. SKD
3. Hiku
4. Whare
5. Vatuvei
6. Foran
7. Johnson
8. Bromwich
9. Luke
10.JWH
11.Proctor
12.Mannering
13.Taumalolo

14.Nikorima
15.Harris
16.Taupau
17.Matulino

18.Moa/Eastwood/Taukeiaho


This tour has developed Hiku into a ballplaying/kicking centre in the Jamie Lyon mould, and Nikorima as a good bench hooker.

:crazy:Can I have some of the Kool Aid that you and Kearney are drinking?

 

[roughyedspud]

England RL have been posting short clips on facebook like tom burgess smash issac luke..today they posted elliot whiteheads 2nd try in the 3rd test...if you look closely you'll see RTS running away from whitehead lol